Georgia girl, 5, accidentally killed by friend playing with gun

Jada Willingham was shot in the head and is being mourned by the community

Dec 10, 2020

A young girl lost her life at just 5-years old.

Jada Willingham was staying with a babysitter in Lithonia, Georgia Friday when she and a friend found a loaded gun in the home and began to play with it, resulting in Willingham being shot in the head. She was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston Hospital and passed away from her injuries, per Fox 5 Atlanta.

At the time, there were four children at the 1800 block of Madras Court home located in DeKalb County. The police arrived around 3:20 p.m. and discovered the child bleeding and her caretaker, a 68-year-old grandmother to one of the children, trying to stop the bleeding.

Jada Willingham Georgia thegrio.com — Jada Willingham (Credit: GoFundMe)

The 9mm Smith & Wesson belonged to one of the children’s mother who is in the military and was found “without a holster, full magazine, with a round chambered,” per a warrant obtained by AJC. The police ultimately arrested 36-year-old Chad Brooks Sr., the father of one of the other kids. He was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children because police say he left the gun unattended.

“Her life didn’t get to start yet,” said a neighbor Naomi Lyons to reporters.

Keisha Walker, Willingham’s mother, created a GoFundMe to pay for the funeral costs.

“Due to this sad accident a mother is without her beautiful 5 year old daughter this holiday season. Jada Marie was a beautiful loving little girl that was killed due to negligence on behalf of her babysitter and other people she trusted. Jada was fatally shot by her friend of 5 years, which is the babysitter/caretaker granddaughter on December 4, 2020,” per the GoFundMe.

“Please find it in your hearts to give this baby the best home going service. This 5 year old little girl will never get to see another birthday, holidays school graduation again and it isn’t fair. We would like to give Jada the home going service a princess deserves. Jada loved Barbie dolls, lol, and she loved to paint.”

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